It’s honestly as simple as that.
The Toronto Marlies do not exist as an MLSE-funded holding cell for past-their-prime veterans and reclamation projects with a few prospects scattered in here or there. The Marlies, if nothing else, are a crucial cog in the organization’s central mechanism of player development – one rendered useless when the Marlies sit at the bottom of the AHL standings.
“When it comes to development, nothing is better than winning”.
Such is the key mantra of the Leafs’ brain trust, perfectly explains how the Marlies conduct business.
It explains why Kyle Dubas spent the past four years of his life meticulously building the AHL’s flagship brand in his own image, and to great success.